Shirt cuff guard



June 2, 1936. c. H. TRIESCHMANN SHIRT CUFF GUARD Filed June 28, 1934INVENTOR. w/zzwzw BY M 777114 ATTORNEY.

Patented June 2, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIQE SHIRT CUFF GUARD CarlH. Trieschmann, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application June 28, 1934, Serial No. 732,849

4 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in shirt cuff guards.

The majority of shirts Worn today are provided with soft cuffs securedeither by one or more buttons or by links. The edges of this form ofcuff are the first portions of a shirt to become soiled and as a resultthe entire shirt must be frequently laundered when major portionsthereof are still spotless. This frequent laundering, which requiresconsiderable rubbing on the edges of the cuffs, soon results inexcessive wear and fraying. It may therefore been seen that the cost tothe average person in connection with laundering and replacement issubstantial, particularly where he uses a fresh shirt each day.Heretofore, various types of protectors have been devised but none haveproven commercially practical. The celluloid article can be readilycleaned but its appearance is poor and it is uncomfortable. It has alsobeen proposed to utilize a relatively flexible cloth having portionsadapted to be turned under the cuff edge but this form of. protectorcannot be readily cleaned and no means is provided for maintaining theturned-under portions in position and for preventing buckling at thefold, resulting in an unsightly appearance.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide an improvedcuff guard so closely resembling the usual shirt cuff as to beunnoticeable to the casual observer, but formed of a readily cleanableimpregnated fabric which is sufiiciently flexible to be comfortable andwhich has sufficient body to maintain a neat appearance. In constructinga guard from this type of material a problem arose in providing for asuitable fold around the edge of the cuff without buckling and withoutdanger of the folded portions protruding during use. Accordingly, it isa further object of this invention to provide novel structure forsolving the above problem.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a shirt cuif guardhaving a plurality of tabs adapted to be folded beneath the edge of theshirt cuff to protect the latter wherein stitching is utilized in such aposition adjacent the edge of the guard as to maintain said tabs infolding position and prevent buckling along the line of fold.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a shirt cuff guardwhich is interchangeable, which is adjustable to either one or twobutton cuffs or to cuffs utilizing links, which absolutely preventssoiled or frayed shirt cuffs thereby reducing laundry and replacementbills materially, which can be readily cleaned while in use by means ofa moist cloth, which is so formed at the inner edge portion as to allowa spread and prevent binding at the wrist, and which is inexpensive andattractive in appearance.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of theimproved shirt cuff guard and all its parts and combinations as setforth in the claims and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing illustrating one complete embodiment of thepreferred form of the invention in which the same reference numeralsdesignate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a view showing the inner side of the cuff guard while in flatposition;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the outer side thereof;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing the guard as it is applied to ashirt sleeve having a button type of cuff;

Fig.4 is a perspective view showing the guard applied to a link type ofcuff;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional line 5-5 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional line 66 of Fig. 3. 7

Referring more particularly to the drawing the guard is preferablyconstructed of fabric impregnated with a rubber compound to render thesame incapable of absorbing dirt or moisture. 0

View taken on view taken on Any other suitable material may, however, be

utilized but the material mentioned possesses numerous advantages.

The material is stamped out to provide a plurality of spaced incisions 8along one edge to form tabs 9 the corners of which are preferablyrounded as at it and to provide a plurality of V- shaped recesses Halong the other longitudinal edge which define tabs l2, said tabs beingpreferably formed with rounded end portions l3. The V-shaped cuts H arepreferably four in number and so positioned as to avoid having any onecut in a central position with respectto the length of the guard. Theincisions 8 on the other edge are preferably offset with respect to thecuts ll. The blank is further formed with spaced slits l4,- l4', and I5at each end thereof for receiving a button or cuff link. Only one set ofthese slits need be initially cut through the material, and the othersets may merely be located and represented by marks on the inside of thecuff, in order to permit selective location of the button holes orslits, by the user.

After the blank has been cut the edge carrying the tabs I2 is folded tothe position shown in Fig. 1 to such an extent that the inner ends l6 ofthe cuts are spaced from the line of fold H. In said space alongitudinal line of stitching I8 is utilized to hold the tabs l2 infolded position and to prevent buckling when the guard is in a curvedposition of use. The folded edge portion is recessed at each end as atH! to clear the slits l4 and I5 and to form end locking projections 20.Notches 2! are formed above the locking projections 20 to permit thestitching 18 to continue around the corner as at 22 and around the endswithout securing the locking projections.

In use the guard is slipped over the edge of the cuff in the mannershown in Figs. 3 and 4 with the tabs l2 positioned on the inner side ofthe cuff and with the edge of the cuff extending closely adjacent theline of stitching. The shirt cuff button is slipped through the slit I5or one of the other slits at one end of the guard and the other end ofthe guard with the shirt cuff therein is brought around to the positionshown in Fig. 3 with the locking projections 20 overlapping as shown, sothat the button can be inserted through the button hole of the shirt andthen through one of the slits at the other end of the protector in themanner shown in Fig. 6. For two-button shirt cuffs similar procedure isfollowed except that two of the slits are employed. The use of a buttonhook will facilitate the operations above described.

Where the shirt cuff is adapted to be secured with the usual cuff linkthe two ends of the cuff with the guard inserted thereover are merelybrought together in the position shown in Fig. 4 and the cuff linkinserted through the slits M or other slits at each end of the guard andthrough the apertures in the cuff provided therefor.

While the preferred material is of a type which would ordinarily buckleat a line of fold when placed in position over a cuff, it may readily beseen that by providing the plurality of flaps l2 preferably five innumber, without centralization of any of the cuts II, and by providingthe lines of stitching 18, this possibility of buckling is absolutelyeliminated and a neat cuff edge is assured.

The tabs 9 at the inner edge of the protector allow a slight spread atthe wrist as shown in Fig. 3 to thereby prevent binding.

It is to be noted that Where a link is employed the upper slits M arepreferably utilized and where a single button is integral with the shirtcuff, then the slits I4" or l5 are used. Thus one form of the device maybe readily adapted for use in connection with either one-button cuffs,two-button cuffs or cuffs of the link type, and the three slits permitselection where the position of the cuff button varies.

The locking projections 20 effectively overlap to form a. neat interlockwhen used with the button type of cuff as shown in Fig. 3. This alsoprevents protruding of the flaps l2, but these projections may beomitted when cuff links are used.

The device is also applicable for use by women particularly working instores and offices, to prevent soiling of the ends of long sleeves.

If it is desired to clean the article, this may be quickly done Whereconstructed of the preferred impregnated material by utilizing a moistcloth with a small amount of soap. Also, if desired, the guards may beremoved and completely laundered by dipping in soapy water and dryingwith a towel.

From the above it may be seen that the shirt cuff guard is soconstructed as to present an appearance almost identical to the ordinaryshirt cuff While completely covering and protecting the edge thereof.Thus a shirt may be worn for a week or more without soiling the cuffsand when laundered the cuffs will be relatively clean so that there wilbe little of the usual wear on the cuffs due to necessity for rubbing ona washboard.

Although only one form of the invention has been shown and described itis obvious that various modifications may be made without departing fromthe spirit of the invention and all such modifications are contemplatedas may come within the scope of the claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cuff guard comprising an elongated blank folded longitudinally toprovide for the insertion of a cuff between the folded portions, andstitching extending through both of said folded portions adjacent theline of fold for securing said portions in folded position and forpreventing buckling when the guard is in a curled position of use.

2. A cuff guard comprising an elongated blank folded longitudinally toprovide for the insertion of a cuff between said folded portions, theinner of said folded portions having a plurality of cuts thereinextending toward and terminating short of the line of fold to define aplurality of tabs, and means in addition to the material of the cuffguard itself positioned in the space between the ends of the cuts andthe line of fold extending longitudinally of the latter to preventbuckling when the guard is in a curled position of use.

3. A cuff guard comprising an elongated blank folded longitudinally toprovide for the insertion of a cuff between said folded portions, theinner of said folded portions having a plurality of cuts thereinextending toward and terminating short of the line of fold to define aplurality of tabs, and stitching in said space between the ends of thecuts and the line of fold extending through both of the folded portionslongitudinally of the line of fold to prevent buckling when the guard isin a curled position of use.

4. A cuff guard comprising an elongated blank folded longitudinally toprovide for the insertion of a cuff between the folded portions, andstitching extending through both of said folded portions adjacent theline of fold for securing said portions in folded position and forpreventing buckling when the guard is in a curled position of use, theinner of said folded portions having end locking projections foroverlapping engagement when used with a button type of cuff, saidprojections having their edges spaced from the edges of the outer foldedportion of the blank to provide for stitching around the ends in theouter folded portion only to thereby prevent securing of the lockingprojections.

CARL H. TRIESCHMANN.

